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1 BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No. For Meeting of: 11/12/2013 ITEM TITLE: SUBMITTED BY: 10:10 a.m. Pit Bull/Dangerous Dog Ordinance Joe Caruso, Codes Manager/Fire Marshal SUMMARY EXPLANATION: See attached. Resolution: Other (Specify): Contract: Start Date: Item Budgeted: Funding Source/Fiscal Impact: Strategic Priority: Insurance Required? No Mail to: Phone: Ordinance: Contract Term: End Date: Amount: APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL: City Manager RECOMMENDATION: ATTACHMENTS: Description Upload Date Type 2 11/8/2013 Cover Memo 3 11/8/2013 Cover Memo

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3 STUDY SESSION PIT BULL BAN NOV. 12, 2013 Section 1: a. Background materials o Pit Bull Frequently Asked Questions b. Facts and statistics o Pit Bull statistics in Yakima o Dog bite statistics from o Pit bull injuries and attacks (2012 and 2013) o Photos c. Legislation and why the City Enacted a Dangerous Dog Ordinance and Pit Bull Ban o American Dog Owners v. City of Yakima o Animal Control Ordinance o Pit Bull Ordinance and amendments Section 2: a. Materials submitted by James Boyer b. Letter from Kenneth Lust, D.V.M. c. Reasons to uphold the ban Section 3: a. Alternatives - requirements other cities use for regulating dangerous dogs and pit bulls Section 4: a. Letter from Yakima Police Patrolman's Association supporting the existing pit bull ban and dangerous dog ordinance (will be delivered Monday) b. Letter from Det. Doug Robinson Section 5: a. Public participation

4 Impoundment of Banned Dogs in Yakima (as of 10/17/2013) Complaints on Ban Dog Sightings (as of 10/17/2013) Complaints on Ban Dog At Large PIT BULL INFORMATION *Ban Dog Sighting/Ban Dog At Large complaints are not always founded as Ban Dogs. Dogsbite.org Pit Bull/Mixes killed 151 americans out of251 fatal dog attacks. 60% of fatal dog attacks were by Pit Bulls. 2012: Pit Bulls killed 23 people. That's 61% of fatal dog attacks. 2013: Pit Bulls have killed 19 people to date. I could not find and fatal attacks involving Pit Bulls in Washington state that have been reported. The information above is for the United States. There have been no reports of fatal dog attacks in Washington State.

5 Chart A. Highest Number of Dog Bite Fatalities (2005 to 2012) State Total Deaths Pit Bull Deaths Percent Pit Bulls Texas % California % Georgia % Florida % Michigan % South Carolina % Illinois % North Carolina % Virginia % Tennessee % Q: Are breed-specific laws constitutional? At least seven U.S. State Supreme Courts have upheld the constitutionality of breed-specific laws including: Ohio, Colorado, Iowa, Arkansas, Utah, Washington and Kansas. At least six State Appeals Courts have as well, among them, courts located in Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, Wisconsin, Florida and New Mexico. The U.S. Supreme Court has also weighed in favorably on the subject of breed-specific laws. In February of 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from the Ohio State Supreme Court's decision in the Toledo vs. Tellings case. Pit bull advocates had argued that the law was unconstitutional on several grounds, all of which the Ohio State Supreme Court rejected. By refusing the appeal, the United States Supreme Court declared Toledo's breed-specific law constitutional, and the case cannot be appealed further. 1. DogsBite.org began collecting this data in November 2007 and is current to date. 2. Information was gathered through media accounts that were available at the time of the attack or found through Internet archives, including: Google News Archive and AccessMyLibrary. Each fatality also lists "source citations," which links to its related citations.

6 Q: Why not just enforce the laws we already have? Most cities have laws that take effect after a person has been bitten, in some instances, only after a second person has been bitten. In these cities, a pit bull can attack two separate victims, leaving each with serious injury before any substantial penalties are triggered. Such laws were designed for "common" dog bites, not a pit bull bite that often results in life-altering damage. When it comes to pit bulls, enforcing existing laws does not prevent attacks that inflict debilitating injury. Most current dog laws also fail to sufficiently penalize a dog owner after a severe attack. Cases abound where the owner of a dog is fined $50 for failing to leash their pet after a victim is seriously hurt. Such laws do not recognize that medical bills from pit bull injury often start at $20,000 and swiftly fly beyond. Breed-specific laws do recognize victim injury and require owners of these breeds to abide by safety rules before an attack, such as mandatory sterilization and muzzling when offproperty. Ifthe owner fails to abide, sizable fines result. Most breed-specific laws also require owners to carry liability insurance in the amount of $100,000 to $250,000. So if an attack does occur, the victim can receive medical payment 8 year dog bit fatality state map \AA 1 1 CT "lj 1 JE 1 \ Year J.S. Dog Bite Fatality Sta1e Map 2005 to 01 - DogsBi e.nrg

7 STUDY SESSION PIT BULL BAN NOV. 12, 2013 In January 1987, there were three unprovoked attacks by Pit Bull dogs on Yakima residents. On July 29, 1987, due to these attacks, the City of Yakima adopted an Ordinance (3034) which bans Pit Bulls from the City. Specifically the breeds Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier as well as dogs "identifiable" as having any pit bull variety as an element of their breeding. On August 24, 1989, the Supreme Court of Washington, Plaintiff -American Dog Owners argued that Yakima City Ordinance 3034, codified in Yakima City Code O is unconstitutionally vague; claiming that a person of ordinary intelligence cannot reasonably tell what is prohibited. It was ruled by the Washington Supreme Court that the Yakima ordinance is constitutional even though some inoffensive pit bulls might be banned. It was also ruled that the Yakima Ordinance is constitutional although it will not stop all dog bites nor remove unidentifiable pit bull mixes. Reconsideration was denied October 11, 1989 and determined that the Yakima City Ordinance is not unconstitutionally vague. It was also determined that the summary judgment was not given in error. The trial court was affirmed. Appellate Courts in twelve U. S. states have upheld the constitutionality of breedspecific pit bull laws that include Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, New Mexico, Ohio, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, District of Columbia. 25 Cities in WA that have breed specific bans. Over 600 U. S. Cities have enacted breed-specific laws. Many foreign countries have enacted breed-specific laws as well, including Canada, Great Britain, Germany, France, Ireland and Australia plus others. Exhibit# 1 ( Source: DogsBite.org) 8 Year US Dog Bite Fatality Chart to During this eight-year period, 251 Americans were fatally bitten by a dog. Of those fatalities, 60% were by pit bulls and 13% by Rottweiler's. Exhibit# 2 (Source: DogsBite.org)

8 Washington - Breed-Specific Laws (BSL) - Legislating Dangerous Dogs - DogsBite.org Page 1 of 2?x-1-! 1/ I Dogs bite Some dogs don't let go DogsB1te org DogsB1te.org is a public education website home dogsbite dog bite dangerous legislating dog bite staying blog statistics dogs dogs victims safe About Us Donate In the 8-year period from 2005 to 2012, pit bulls killed 151 Americans and accounted for 60% of the total recorded deaths (251). Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers accounted for 73% of these deaths. I More» Home» legislating dogs» state-by-state» bsl FAQ state-by-state military regulation constitutionality appellate decisions Washington breed-specific laws :: If you know of a pit bull ordinance that is not listed here, please send us a link to the ordinance or published news article so that we can update this web page: ordinance@dogsbite.org. Dangerous dog ordinances Pit Bull Ordinances in Washington City Website View Ordinance Seclton 6 35 Section Section Section Section Section O Section Section Section Section Section Seclton Section : Section Section Section Section Animal control Section Section Seclton Section Section 6.06 News article Section 6-18 Type of Ordinance Fighting breeds declared "potentially dangerous" 1nclud1ng. Akita. American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier. Bull Terrier, Cane Corso, Dago Argentina Dogue de Bordeaux. Kuvasz. Pit Bull Terrier, Presa Canario. Staffordshire Bull Terrier Tosa lnu Bans pit bulls Bans pit bulls Bans pit bulls Bans pit bulls Pit bulls and rottwe1lers declared "potentially dangerous" Bans. prt bulls Pit bulls declared "potentially dangerous" J 1987 legal notes Restricts pit bulls Pit bulls declared "dangerous" Pit bulls declared "potentially dangerous" Pit bulls declared "dangerous" Pit bulls declared "potentially dangerous" Pit bulls declared "potentially dangerous" Pit bulls declared "potentially dangerous" Bans: pit bulls Pit bulls declared "potentially dangerous" Bans pit bulls Bans: pt! bulls and rottwe1lers Pit bulls declared "dangerous" Bans. pit bulls Bans. pit bulls Pit bulls declared "dangerous" Bans pit bulls, rottweilers mastiffs, and American bulldogs Bans pit bulls 10/22/2013

9 8-Year U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Chart to 2012 During this 8-year period, 251 Americans suffered death due to dog bite injury. Combination 3.6% Labrador 1 6% Malamute 1 6% Boxer 2% Mastiff/bullmastiff 3% Ge shepherd 3.6% Am bulldog 3 6% Mixed breed 4% Husky 4% Pit bull 60% Rottweiler 13% Chart Key % 60% Deaths (151) Dog Breed Pit bull 13% (32) Rottweiler 4% (10) Husky 4% (10) Mixed breed 3.6% (9) American bulldog 3.6% (9) German shepherd 3% (8) Mastiff/bullmastiff 2% (5) Boxer 1.6% (4) Malamute 1.6% (4) Labrador 3.6% (3 and less) Combination* *Multiple dog breeds contributed to the deaths of 3 or fewer persons during this period including, but not limited to: chow chow, wolf hybrid, doberman pinscher, cane corso, presa canario and golden retriever. DogsBite.org contains verifiable information about U.S. citizens killed by dogs including the name and age of each victim. location of attack, dog breed and up to 18 other factors. Source citations are available at: http :// -citations.php DogsBite.org DogsBite.org : Some dogs don't let go. May 6, 2013

10 Pit bull faq DogsBite.org I Q: What is a pit bull? The legal definition of a pit bull is a class of dogs that includes the following breeds: American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, American bulldog 1 and any other pure bred or mixed breed dog that is a combination of these dogs. Weight and shape can vary significantly amongst pit bulls, from 35 to 100 plus pounds. (Please see Disguise Breed Name to learn more about the deliberate renaming and mislabeling of pit bulls through history.) From left: American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terr ier, Staffordshire bull terrier and American bulldog. Q: What is the history of the pit bull? The blood sport of "bull baiting" began over 1,000 years ago in England (various sources dispute this date). What is undisputed is that by 1500, bull baiting had progressed to Britain's national pastime. Bulldogs were reportedly first mentioned by name in 1631, referring to their function rather than a distinct dog breed. By 1800, and through further selective breeding, the bulldog developed into a compact muscular dog characterized by tremendous jaw strength. 2 Due to public outrage, bull baiting was banned in England in Bulldog breeders and owners then moved to the sport of "ratting," where a number of rats were placed into a pit and wagers were made on how many rats the dog could kill in a certain time period. To increase agility, quickness and prey-drive in the bulldog, ratters crossed the breed with terriers. Essentially, it was the sport of ratting that combined the bulldog and terrier into the modern day pit bull terrier. 1 Progressive pit bull legislation includes the American bulldog in its definition of a pit bull. 2 The History of Bull Baiting, by Amy Fernandez, DogChannel.com. DogsBite.org: Some dogs don't let go. Revised: 5/3/13

11 On the heels of ratting, dogfighting developed. Pit bulls and dogfighting were exported to America as settlers made their way to the New World. In 1884, the American Kennel Club was formed but rejected pit bulls due to their use in dogfighting. In response, Chauncey Z. Bennett formed the United Kennel Club in 1898 to bring formal recognition to the pit bull breed. At that time, Bennett also drew up rules and regulations for dogfighting to bring "organization " to the blood sport. 3 Q: What is dogfighting and what does it have to do with pit bulls? Pit bulls are the dog of choice amongst dogmen, individuals who fight their pit bulls against other pit bulls. Dogmen consider pit bull terriers, who they commonly call "100% bulldogs," to be the ultimate canine gladiator. Pit bulls were selectively bred for "gameness," the ability to finish a fight. A truly gamedog will continue fighting "on stumps," two or more broken legs, and far worse. 4 (Please see excerpts from The Complete Gamedog, by Ed and Chris Faron to learn more). The blood sport of dogfighting involves a contest between two dogs, primarily pit bulls, fighting each other in front of spectators for entertainment and gambling purposes. Other felonious activities, such as illegal drugs, often accompany dogfight matches. A single dogfight averages about an hour in length but can last two or more. 5 A dogfight begins when a referee says, "Face your dogs," then says, "Let go." The fight ends when one of the dogs will not or cannot continue. The arrest and conviction of Michael Vick shows that dogfighting still proliferates in the U.S. Law enforcement education, however, is on the rise. In July 2009, authorities unleashed an 8-state simultaneous dogfighting sting and seized over 450 dogs. 6 In December 2008, Edward Faron of Wildside Kennels, known as the "godfather" of dogfighting, was arrested and charged. Authorities seized 127 pit bulls from his property. Faron pleaded guilty to 14 counts of felony dogfighting. 7 Q: Why do I always read about pit bulls in the news? When a pit bull attacks, the injury inflicted may be catastrophic. First responders, such as police officers and firefighters, understand this as do members of the media, who are quick to report these attacks. Ongoing social tension also keeps pit bulls in the news. The pit bull problem is nearly 30-years old. 8 In this time, most lawmakers have been "too afraid" to take breed-specific action to correct the problem. Due to this failure, horrific maulings continue to make headlines. About half of all media reports regarding pit bulls involve police officers shooting dangerous pit bulls in the line of duty. 9 Since the late 1970's pit bulls have been used extensively in criminal operations for drug dealers, gang members and other violent offenders. The pit bull terrier is the 3 American Pit Bull Terrier Handbook, by Joe Stahlkuppe, Barron's Educational Series, Inc., The Complete Gamedog: A Guide to Breeding & Raising the American pit bull terrier, by Ed and Chris Faron, Walsworth Pub. Co., Dogfighting Fact Sheet, The Humane Society of the United States. 6 Eight-State Dogfighting Raid Largest in U.S. History, by Wayne Pacelle, The Humane Society of the United States, July 9, Dog-fighting 'godfather' given prison, by Monte Mitchell, Winston-Sa/em Journal, February 13, Pit Bulls -- Family Pets and Fierce Fighters, by Tom Greely, Los Angeles Times, July 25, Combined data from : Mid Year Results : U.S. Pit Bull Attacks 2009 and Mid Year Results : U.S. Police and Citizen Shootings of Pit Bulls 2009, by DogsBite.org, August DogsBite.org: Some dogs don't let go. Page 2

12 breed of choice for criminals. This choice is directly linked to the pit bull's selectively bred traits of robust jaw strength, a deadly bite style, tenacity (gameness) and a high tolerance to pain. 10 Q: Why do people say that pit bulls "don't let go?" Through selective breeding, pit bulls have developed enormous jaw strength, as well as a ruinous "hold and shake" bite style, designed to inflict the maximum damage possible on their victims. This bite trait delivered winning results in the fighting pit. When the Colorado Supreme Court upheld the Denver pit bull ban in 2005, the high court set aside characteristics that pit bulls displayed when they attack that differ from all other dog breeds. One of these characteristics was their lethal bite: "[pit bulls] inflict more serious wounds than other breeds. They tend to attack the deep muscles, to hold on, to shake, and to cause ripping of tissues. Pit bull attacks were compared to shark attacks. " 11 Leading pit bull education websites, such as Pit Bull Rescue Central, encourage pit bull owners to be responsible and to always carry a "break stick" -- a tool used to pry open a pit bull's jaws -- in case their dog "accidentally" gets into a fight. These same websites also warn that using a break stick on any other dog breed may cause serious injury to the person. 12 _ This is true because no other dog breed possesses the pit bull's tenacity combined with a "hold and shake" bite style. One of the most powerful examples of a pit bull "not letting go" occurred in an Ohio courtroom. During the Toledo v. Tellings trial (Tellings was convicted of violating the City of Toledo's pit bull ordinance), Lucas County Dog Warden Tom Skeldon showed a videotape of a tranquilized pit bull hanging from a steel cable. The dog is essentially unconscious and still does not release its grip. At the time of the taping, the pit bull was being housed at the Lucas County Animal Shelter. 13 Q: Do pit bulls bite more than other dogs? Depending upon the community in which you live and the ratio of pit bulls within it, yes and no. But whether a pit bull bites more or less than another dog breed is not the point. The issue is the acute damage a pit bull inflicts when it does choose to bite. The pit bull's "hold and shake" bite style causes severe bone and muscle damage, often inflicting permanent and disfiguring injury. Moreover, once a pit bull starts an attack, firearm intervention may be the only way to stop it. When analyzing dog bite statistics, it is important to understand what constitutes a bite. A single bite -- recorded and used in dog bite statistics -- is a bite that "breaks the skin." One bite by a poodle that leaves two puncture wounds is recorded the same way as a pit bull mauling, which can constitute hundreds of puncture wounds and extensive soft tissue loss. Despite the "quagmire" of dog bite statistics, pit bulls are leading bite counts across U.S. cities and counties One City's Experience, by Kory A. Nelson, Senior City Attorney for the City of Denver, Municipal Lawyer, July/August Pit Bull Case Report and Literature Review, by Steven F. Vegas, MD, Jason H. Calhoun, MD, M. Eng., John Mader, MD, Texas Medicine, Vol. 84, November Breaking Up a Fight, Pit Bull Rescue Central. 13 Information provided by the Lucas County, Ohio Dog Warden. 14 Pit Bulls Lead "Bite" Counts Across U.S. Cities and Counties, by DogsBite.org (continuously updated). DogsBite.org: Some dogs don't let go. Page 3

13 Q: How come pit bull owners say, "My dog might lick you to death." To understand the experience of owning a negatively perceived dog, Tufts Center for Animals and Public Policy did a study on pit bull owners. Researchers found that owners of out-law dog breeds directly feel the stigma targeted at their breed and resort to various tactics to lessen it. One of the tactics included attempts to counterbalance the pit bull's menacing appearance and physical power with overwhelming "affectionate" behavior, such as: "My dog might lick you to death." 15 Q: Why does my friend say, "Pit bulls are dog-aggressive not people-aggressive?" Due to selective breeding for the purposes of dogfighting, pit bulls are highly dog-aggressive. This aggression is not limited to dogs; pit bulls frequently kill other companion pets and domesticated animals. Leading pit bull education websites warn pit bull owners to, "Never trust your pit bull not to fight." These same websites also state that pit bulls should never be left alone with another dog or animal. 16 The practical question is: Why is "pit bull dog aggression" tolerated at all? Pit bull dog aggression is unacceptable for two reasons. In many instances it leads to human aggression. A common scenario is the following: A loose pit bull attacks a leashed dog being walked by its owner. The owner gets seriously injured trying to stop the attack. In 2009, two human beings suffered death due to pit bull dog aggression: Rosie Humphreys, who had been walking her two poodles, and Carter Delaney, who had tried to protect a smaller dog in his home. Secondly, far too many beloved companion pets and domesticated animals suffer a violent death by the powerful jaws of pit bull terriers each year. In some instances, these attacks involve pit bulls charging through screen doors of private homes -- in a home invasion attack -- to kill the pet living inside. 17 Owners of the pet are then forced to watch as their pet is disemboweled by the pit bull and pray that the dog does not turn its attention on an innocent family member next. Q: What is the best thing we can do for communities and pit bulls? The best thing we can do for communities and pit bulls is to regulate pit bull ownership and pit bull breeding. Lowering the pit bull population will reduce the number of serious maulings, as well as pit bull euthanizations. In the July/August 2009 issue of Animal People, the group estimated that of the 1,663,167 shelter dogs projected to be euthanized in 2009, pit bulls accounted for 58%. This is true despite the fact that pit bulls only make up 5% of the total U.S. dog population. 18 Over 650 U.S. cities and nearly all privatized military housing -- the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps now have uniform pet policies -- have adopted breed-specific laws to correct the pit bull problem. Such measures include: mandatory sterilization, liability insurance and strict containment rules. The most progressive legislation bans the future breeding of pit bulls (a pit bull ban). In just a few years, these communities see a significant drop in pit bull bites and euthanizations. 15 Managing the Stigma of Outlaw Breeds: A Case Study of Pit Bull Owners, by Hillary Twining, Arnold Arluke, Gary Patronek, Tufts Center for Animals and Public Policy, Society & Animals Journal of Human-Animal Studies, Vol. 8 Number 1, Easy to Remember Tips for Responsible Pit Bull Owners, PitBulllovers.com. 11 Pit bull put down after attack, by Kieran Nicholson, The Denver Post, March 3, Decade of Adoption Focus Fails to Reduce Shelter Killing, by Merritt Clifton, Animal People, July/August DogsBite.org: Some dogs don't let go. Page 4

14 About Us DogsBite.org is a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks. Through our work, we hope to protect both people and pets from future attacks. Our website, was launched in October 2007 and contains a wide collection of data to help policymakers and citizens learn about dangerous dogs. Our research focuses on pit bull type dogs. Due to selective breeding practices that emphasize aggression and tenacity, this class of dogs negatively impacts communities the most. Our website hosts important dog bite studies, U.S. dog bite fatalities and other key bibliographies. In the Legislating Dogs portion of our site, we offer examples of breed-specific laws (state-by-state) and documentation of the constitutionality of these laws. The Victim Realities section provides a glance into the unforgettable stories victims leave behind and much more. DogsBite.org operates out of Austin, Texas. DogsBite.org P.O. Box Austin, TX info@dogsbite.org DogsBite.org: Some dogs don't let go. Page 5

15 d ;<;-118 il ""'.5 D sb te.org Some dogs don't let go 8-Year U.S. Dog Bite Fatality State Map to 2012 During this 8-year period, 251 Americans suffered death due to dog bite injury. 5 Massachusetts 1 Rhode Island Connecticut New Jersey Delaware Maryland State Listing Texas California...28 Georgia Florida Michigan South Carolina Illinois North Carolina Virginia... 9 Tennessee... 8 Ohio......? Oklahoma... 7 Alabama... 6 Arizona... 6 lndiana... 6 New Mexico... 6 Pennsylvania... 6 Kentucky... 5 Mississippi... 5 Nevada... 5 New York... 5 West Virginia... 5 Missouri...4 Alaska... 3 Arkansas... 3 Louisiana... 3 lowa... 2 Kansas... 2 Minnesota... 2 Oregon...2 Indicates states with full or partial anti-bsl law ; < 2 deaths not in text listing. DogsBite.org contains verifiable information about U.S. citizens killed by dogs including the name and age of each victim, location of attack, dog breed and up to 18 other factors. Source citations are available at: DogsBite.org DogsBite.org: Some dogs don't let go. May 9, 2013

16 Fatal Pit Bull Attack State Maps - Google Maps - DogsBite.org Page 1 of 1 Dogs bite Some dogs don't let go I DogsB1te org Dogs81te org 1s a public education website home dogsbite dog bite dangerous legislating dog bite staying blog statistics dogs dogs victims safe About Us Donate In the 8-year period from 2005 to 2012, pit bulls killed 151 Americans and accounted for 60% of the total recorded deaths (251). Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers accounted for 73% of these deaths. I More» Home» State pit bull fatality maps :: View the top fatal pit bull attack state maps as well as states that DogsBite.org is watching. Top states Texas California Georgia Florida Michigan South Carolina lll1no1s North Carolina t Ohio New York Watching Alabama Arizona Kentucky t Lou1s1anna Mississippi Pennsylvania A re we missing an important state? Contact us» home I dogsbite blog I dog bite statistics I dangerous dogs I legislating dogs I dog bite victims I staying safe I donate A bout I Contact I Site Terms I Privacy Policy I Dog Bite Attorney Directory I Webmaster Tools I Tee Shop I Links Copyright DogsBite.org I Published by Lynn Media Group I DogsBite org for A ndroid DogsB1te org is a national dog bite victims ' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks Through our work. we hope to protect both people and pets from future attacks Page last modified 10/22/ I Sitemap 10/22/2013

17 Breed-Specific Laws (BSL) State by State - Legislating Dogs - DogsBite.org Page 1 of 2 Dogs bite Some dogs don't let go I DogsB1te orq Dog B1te org s a public education website home dogsbite dog bite dangerous legislating dog bite staying blog statistics dogs dogs victims safe About Us Donate In the 8-year period from 2005 to 2012, pit bulls killed 151 Americans and accounted for 60% of the total recorded deaths (251). Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers accounted for 73% of these deaths. I More» Home» legislating dogs» bsl FAQ state by-state military regulation constitutionality appellate decisions Breed-specific laws state-by-state Over 600 U S c1t1es have enacted breed-specific laws (BSL). Cities, such as Denver, that reside within a state containing an "anti-bsl clause" have effectively implemented them as well. Municipalities with BSL Alabama Alaska Arkansas Marvland Massachusetts Michigan Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina California Miss1ss1pp1 South Dakota Colorado Missouri Tennessee Delaware Montana Texas Florida Nebraska Utah Georgia New Jersey Vermont Idaho New Mexico Virginia Illinois New York Washington Indiana North Carolina West Virginia Iowa North Dakota Wisconsin Kansas Ohio Wyoming Kentucky Oklahoma District of Columbia Louisiana Oregon Indian Reservations States with constitutionally upheld BSL Appellate courts in twelve U.S. states, as well as the District of Columbia, have upheld the constitutionality of breed-specific pit bull laws. Learn more in constitutionality. Arkansas Colorado Florida Iowa Kansas Kentucky New Mexico Ohio Utah Washington West Virginia Wisconsin District of Columbia International BSL Many foreign countries have enacted breed-specific laws as well, including: Canada, Great Britain, Germany, France, Ireland, Australia, and more. Please see related blog post Ireland Dog Control Act I Dublin Breen Ban New South Wales. Companion Animal Act New Zealand Dog Control Amendment Act Ontario Canada : Dog Owners ' L1ab1lity Act Winnmeg Canada. The Pound By-law Singapore. Dog Licensing and Control Spain. Ownership of Potentially Dangerous Animals 10/22/2013

18 2012 U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Statistics - DogsBite.org - DogsBite.org Page 1 Dogs bite Some dogs don't let go I DogsBite.org DogsBite org is a public education wer;s1te 0 s it.org Some dogs don't let go In the 8-year period from 2005 to 2012, pit bulls killed 151 Americans and accounted for 60% of the total recorded deaths (251). Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers accounted for 73% of these deaths. I More» Home» DogsBite Blog :: Friday, January 11, 2013 Like 28 Send Share 2012 U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Statistics - DogsBite.org Fatal Dog Attack Statistics DogsBite.org recorded 38 fatal dog attacks in Citations of each victim 's story are located on the Fatality Citations page. The last year the CDC recorded human deaths by dog breeds was Likely due to pressures from animal advocacy groups, the CDC stopped further research into this area. Since 1998, pit bulls alone have killed 208 U.S. citizens. The only other known entity, in addition to DogsBite.org, that tracks this vital data publicly is Animal People.2 38 U.S. fatal dog attacks occurred in Despite being regulated in Military Housing areas and over 600 U.S. cities,3 pit bulls contributed to 61% (23) of these deaths. Pit bulls make up less than 5% of the total U.S. dog population.4 Together, pit bulls (23) and rottweilers (3), the second most lethal dog breed, accounted for 68% of all fatal attacks in In the 8-year period from 2005 to 2012, this combination accounted for 73% (183) of the total recorded deaths (251). The breakdown between pj! g_ij..i.!$. and rn.u\i\i.?..u.g.!:. is substantial over this 8-year period. From 2005 to 2012, pit bulls killed 151 Americans, about one citizen every 19 days, versus rottweilers, which killed 32, about one citizen every 91 days. Annual data from 2012 shows that 50% (19) of the victims were adults, 21-years and older, and the other half were children, ages 8-years and younger. Of the total children killed by dogs in 2012, 79% (15) were ages 2-years and younger. Annual data also shows that males were more often victims, 61% (23), than females. The majority of male victims, 61% (14), were ages 8-years and younger. Of the total female victims, only 33% (5) fell into this same age group. In 2012, roughly one-third, 32% (12), of all dog bite fatality victims were either visiting or living temporarily with the dog's owner when the fatal attack occurred. Children 8-years and younger accounted for 75% (9) of these deaths. 34% (13) of all fatalities in 2012 involved more than one dog ; 13% (5) involved breeding on the dog owner's property either actively or in the recent past, and 5% (2) involved tethered dogs, down from 6% in 2011, 9% in 201O and 19% in In 2012, dogs referred to as a "rescue" accounted for at least 13% (5) attacks that resulted in death. Children suffered the brunt of these attacks with 3 deaths. The adults afflicted, 2 adult females, were killed by their own pack of "rescued" dogs. 5 Dog ownership information for 2012 shows that family dogs comprised 58% (22) of all fatal occurrences ; 82% (31) of all incidents occurred on the dog owner's property and 18% (7) resulted in criminal charges, down from 29% in California and North Carolina led fatalities in 2012, each with 4 deaths. 75% of the California deaths occurred in San Diego County. Pit bull-type dogs accounted for 88% (7) of the 8 deaths. New Mexico, Ohio and Texas followed, each with 3 deaths. See: Full news release. Discussion Notes 2012 is the first year that DogsBite.org is adding a discussion section to our annual dog bite fatality statist ics. Annual data from 2012 shows a continuation of existing trends and new trends as well, some of which we will track in the future. To start, in the 8-year combined results, we see a whole number drop again in the average number of days, 19, that a pit bull kills an American, down from every 20 days in.q_!2j.q QH f.g.$.hll\ and 21 days in QQ. J9_.tQ..rn 1J..IJ. By reviewing the f_!c;,ilp.i.lf?!h.6j1?9. _$. website, one sees that in the 8-year period from 1997 to 2004, pit bulls killed an American every 48 days. If one reaches back further into the 1980s, when the pit bull problem erupted on a national scale and glilfil?_p 9.?JJ..J3_QQQ..l :19-.Rl\ _b_11ll law. the spacing is even further. In the 8-year period from 1981 to 1988, a pit bull killed a person about every 65 days. This is generous, as the CDQ._fil -li g_\i.!}g_ll}e same _ v.?1.2. shows every 70 days. There is no dispute that pit bulls are killing at an accelerated pace. What is unknown is the "magic number" that must be reached -- a pit bull killing a person every 15, 1O or 5 days? -- before more lawmakers respond with measures to reduce these injuries and deaths. It is also unknown when more parents will reject the propaganda about this dog breed, spread by pit bull owners and animal welfare groups, and become aware of the injuries and deaths attributed to them. gsbite.org/2013/0 1/2012-us-dog-bite-fatality -statistic s.html 9/18/2013

19 2012 U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Statistics - DogsBite.org - DogsBite.org Page 2 That roughly one-third of all fatal dog attacks in 2012 occurred when the victim was either visiting or living temporarily with the dog's owner, and that 75% of the victims in these circumstances were children should send a powerful message to parents. There is an extremely heightened risk factor when a child is placed into these two scenarios, especially when the dog is a pit bull or rottweiler. In 2012, these two dog breeds accounted for 78% of the child deaths in these scenarios. The death of a child by a so-called "service dog" also occurred under these circumstances. Last January, a 6-year old boy and his family were y1sit1ng tl1e home of a milit ry serviceman in Oak Grove, Kentucky whose dog was allegedly trained to help him cope with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The dog horribly attacked the boy, killing him. There will be more "service dog" deaths, as the revised ADA fails to req\:)j@ certified training_gfjicen J! for a service dog. In 2012, two "missing children" cases required multiple law enforcement agencies to carry out search and rescue missions. Kylar Jol1nson, 4-years old of Victoria, Texas was discovered dead 14 hours later, killed by a chained pit bull. Bryton Cason, 4-years old of Donalsonville, Georgia was discovered in his own front yard three hours later, killed by a loose dog. In the future, we might expect similar "missing children" search missions to be linked to a dangerous dog. In 2012, two dog bite-related fatalities involved United States Postal Service employees. Dog bites and dog aggression have historically posed a problem for letter carriers, but the October attack on 55-year old Robert Rochester Jr., of New Castle, Delaware, further intensifies it. The dog in this instance escaped its owner's fenced property and viciously attacked Rochester who was collecting mail from a bin on a street, not making deliveries. Rochester died six days later. In 2012, due to legal maneuverings by animal rights groups, two dogs that killed humans were spared euthanasia On Apri l 27, a.egnnsylvanj.i\:!.9..9 agreed to send a husky that lsl!led a_oewbqi..q to an out-of-state "sanctuary." The next case emerged on the same day, after a.r2.qy l;l_gy_lo_ljend..,?.j:.?on,.ji y_g_9- was killed by his grandmother's mastiff. The mastiff remains in quarantine awaiting a decision by the Nevada Su_pJ.:..!.!l.EL..Court after intervention by the Lexus Project. The circumstances and legal issues of the two cases differ, but the results are the same: the dog is sent to an out-of-state "sanctuary" to live out the rest of its life. Yet, after a dangerous dog is shipped across state lines, what oversight follows? In January, the Lexus Project gained ownership of a pit bull-type dog that was involved in a man's death. The group sent the dog, named Bones, to a residential home in Ohio that had 15 other dogs. Bones is currently missing. Conclusion The data from 2012 is painfully clear. Innocent people continue to be the suffers of the local and national battles waged by pit bull owner:_ and animal.qq',19-g. 9'.l!!Qh!P. who have 9i.!9J1e_gJ JIY1tl.. Rl2.1,!1.Qi.t.t?_l1Jl.l.ru2. J_t1 _rn Moreover, the government public health agency, the CDC, has abandoned the issue of dangerous dog breeds since their last published study in 2000, a study that had a l-1._[q j9rity of a1}!!i!9l.9..\:!tb.9.c. instead of medical doctors for human beings. At that time, the CDC was led to believe by the animal authors that pit bulls had been r.@l9-.gqc;l_qy <2.ll \'Y killfilj2r: -C!. rottweilers, thus legislating specific dog breeds would be fruit less. Did the CDC doctors ever imagine back then that about a decade later an American would die every 19 days as the result of pit bull mauling? This is unknown, but the animal authors did know; each understood the unique attack behaviors of dogs selectively bred to fight to the death in a pit l.1 If the public has to wait for the "magic number" to reach every 1O days, or worse every 5, to gain the attention of public health officials, the volume of serioos and fatal maulings inflicted by well-documented dangerous dog breeds will be unspeakable. 1 M.9bie Mc_ CJIJJ. _lfil died on December 31, 2011, but her death was not reported until January 3, Mable is included in the 2012 dog bite fatality stat istical data and excluded from At least two additional victims died due to dog bite-related injuries in These deaths involved non-dog bite injury. minor dog bite injury or lacked a "reasonably clear" determ ination of death due to dog bite injury and are not included in the DogsBite.org statistical fatality data : Iim IrJQLJE!.\'!, 49-years old (Douglas County, GA) and.er.y..pjj.! n. 50-years old (Omaha, NE). 2 Dog attack deaths and ma11n1nqs U.S. & Canada, by Merritt Clifton, Animal People. 3The decrease from previous years is due to recompiling the master list in late December to account for the loss of Ohio's pit bull law in More adoptions will not end shelter kill1nq of pit bulls, by Merritt Clifton, Animal People, October Dogs8ite.org defines a "pack" as four or more dogs. Dawn Brown was ex cluded, her dog was not termed a "rescue." 6This is true as of January 11, Over the course of this year, authorities may file charges in more 2012 cases. 7 While working at the Humane Society of the United States, Randall Lockwood participated in three dog bite fatality studies. Ironically, Lockwood's research of fighting dogs (the PDF file ) was used to uphold the Denver pit bull ban. Labels: 2012 Dog Bite Fatality, Ani1nal People, CDC, Doo Bite Fatality Statistics, Fatal l"it Bull Attack, Fatal Rottwerler Attack, Pit Bull Statistics Like Send 28 people like this. posted by Colleen Lynn I permalink I 4 comments I I subscribe I comment rss «View Older Posts View Newer Posts» home I dogsbite blog I dog bite statistics I dangerous dogs i legislating dogs I dog bite victims I staying safe donate gsbite.org/2013/0 1/2012-us-dog-bite-fatality -statistic s.html 9/18/2013

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21 Date Location Victim Pit Bull injuries and attacks 2013 Kernersville, NC 25 YO female woman was attacked and killed as she fed two pit bulls that she raised since they were puppies 2013 Baltimore, MD 56 YO female disabled woman was mauled to death by her pet pit bull after she fell out of her wheelchair; when she was on the floor her dog "ripped her apart" 2013 Spanaway, WA 65 YO female/ 52 YO man woman walking down the street was attacked by two pit bulls then they turned on a man who tried to help her; extensive injuries to her arm; "the dogs were tearing into the flesh of the woman as she was screaming" 2013 Henderson Cty, KY 10 YO male boy had his nose bitten off by a pit bull while visiting friends 2013 Chemung Cty, NY 11 YO female 13 YO male two children were severely injured after being mauled by a family pit bull 2013 Yakima, WA 47 YO male he was out walking his dog when he was attacked by two pit bulls; man had over 200 stitches and staples in his body; dog narrowly survived 2013 Katy, TX 96 YO male neighbors dogs get through fence and mauled and killed a 96 year old man; the lower part of one of the victim's legs was missing; severe wounds consistent with bite marks covered one of his legs and his pet Chihuahua was lying nearby also dead 2013 Oildale, CA 50 YO female/ 30 YO male man went into a backyard where his son lived and was mauled by 3 pit bulls; neighbor came to help and she suffered major injuries including numerous bites to her upper body, arms and legs; another neighbor stated the dogs were friendly and "Those dogs were good dogs" 2013 Oregon 5 YO male boy mauled to death by friend's adopted pit bull; boy left with extensive injuries which caused him to bleed to death 2013 Jacksonville, FL 20 YO male man riding is scooter was attacked and seriously injured 2013 Riverside, CA Unk female a mother has been disfigured and left with horrific injuries after being attacked by two pit bulls as she walked her dog; had to have her arm stapled together and was left unable to close one of her eyes because of the extent of the injuries to her face; "so much of her arm was eaten away...they can't even close the wound. They almost ripped her cheek all the way off."

22 2013 Grand Island, ND UNK female woman and her 4 year old grandson were attacked by a pit bull at a relative's home; lady underwent three surgeries in four days; the pit bull bit so hard that it left teeth marks on her bone; "Every bone in my hand, in my arm was broke and crushed and just scattered into pieces." 2013 Arizona 2 YO male boy mauled to death while at babysitters home; the babysitter tried to pull the dogs off the boy and was injured herself 2013 Jasper County 46 YO female walking outside her home when she was attacked by a group of pit bulls; "she was covered in blood and flesh was ripped off her arms"; the sheriff's office stated that "if this was a child that was attacked, they wouldn't have survived" 2013 Avondale, AZ Unk mother trying to save her daughter, 3, from jaws of crazed family pit bull bitten 50 times and left with horrific injuries that landed her in a coma, the pooch that she had raised from a puppy started mauling her, ripping her legs to the bone, "he was trained and always good with the kids", the crazed dog tor large chunks of flesh from her body, gnawed at one of her fingers on the right hand to the point that it had to be amputated and damaged a tendon in her arm leaving her unable to move the rest of the digits 2013 Chicago, IL 25 YO male six pit bulls escaped yard and critically injured 25 year old man 2013 Walworth, WI 14 MO male boy was savagely mauled and killed by two pit bulls while under the care of his babysitter; father stated, "believing the myth it's not the breed it's all how you raise them is what left us without a son"; there were unimaginable bruises and bites all over his legs, arms, body and his head; one side of his face was entirely ripped off, his skull crushed and one eye dangled from its socket 2013 Sydney, AU 49 YO male attacked by two pit bulls while out for a.jog; "I could see the meat coming off my bones", the responding paramedic said he could see the man's heart and he lost about two litres of blood; "I survived because I'm in good shape. If it had been a child or elderly person they wouldn't have survived." 2013 Baton Rouge, LA 7 YO female girl spent two days in intensive car after being attacked by a neighbors pit bull while playing in her front yard; "she had deep gashes on her right cheek, she had a couple of punctures in her throat, her ear was pretty much just hanging...she had deep lacerations in the corner of her eye. She had so much blood all over her, just draining down her face." 2013 Union City, CA 6 YO male boy died after he was attacked by a pit bull that belongs to his uncle 2013 Spain 34 YO male the dogs' trainer suffered a heart attack then the dogs started eating his body; parts of his head had been ripped off by the dogs; the face was shattered by bites and lacerations were found all over his body so fingerprint analysis had to be used to confirm his identity

23 2013 Caledonia, WI 15 MO UNK child suffered severe facial tears, puncture wounds and is missing teeth after being bit by pit bull 2013 Australia 52 YO male man was attacked by pit bulls from behind while walking to his car 2013 Australia Unk female woman was walking her dog when they were attacked by a stray pit bull 2013 Fulton County, GA 2 YO male toddler killed by the family's pet 8 year old pit bull; "for those who wish to argue that attacks by pit bulls can all be blamed on the owner training the dog to be mean, read below about how Angela and Jeremiah made their 8 year old pit bull part of the family", boy was savagely mauled to death, according to the father of the boy, Jeremiah, "Those dogs cannot be domesticated." 2013 Beeville, TX UNK woman was attacked by her pit bull after she spanked it on the rear when it was going to make a mess on the couch; the first officer on scene stated that "he has seen combat injuries that weren't as bad. There was blood everywhere, and the tissue damage was incredible. The female extensive injury to her arms. She had puncture wounds to the back of her neck, on both sides of her spine. The male subject suffered a partial amputation of one of his fingers, as well as extensive injury to both legs and both arms, as well as his chest." A neighbor stated, "He was all beaten up, all over his body. Like bad. His finger was hanging off. He had got bit on his mouth. She had a deep laceration. You could see her meat, on her left arm. It was bad. She was about to pass out." 2013 Chicago, IL 9 YO male male seriously injured when neighbor's pit bull got out; boy underwent 7 hours of surgery 2013 Brimbank, VC animal an elderly woman was walking her two poodles when one of them was snatched by a pit bull and mauled to death, "attack leaves poodle without a face" 2013 Phoenix, AZ 12 YO male 9 YO male 57 YO male dog was hiding under a trailer and attacked the boy for no reason 2013 San Joaquin Cty 38 YO female pit bull attacked and killed woman in front yard of a residence; several massive wounds 2013 Dundalk, MA UNK female, toddler was sleeping on the couch when a put bull attacked her in the face; according to the uncle that witnessed the attack, "After seeing it myself, I would never own another one. I would never allow one around my kids or my family ever again."

24 2013 Buena Vista, Ml 3 YO female 2013 Sacramento, CA UNK 2013 Florence Cty, SC 5 YO female 2013 Lubbock, TX 7 YO female 2013 Coffeyville, KS 2 DO UNK 2012 Cleveland, TN 84 YO female 2012 Magnolia, TX 16 MO male 2012 Escondido, CA 59 YO female 2012 Victoria County, TX 4 YO male toddler is recovering after being nearly mauled to death; girl suffered massive puncture wounds to the side of her face and even lost a portion of her ear man trying to save his wife from pit bull attack suffered multiple bites to his face and legs girl was mauled and killed by a pit bull while at a relative's home a little girl will be spending the next two days in intensive care after her mother says she was viciously attacked by a pit bull family pit bull severely mauled a two day old baby attacked by grandson's pit bull; bitten in her face and neck and spent 4 days in trauma unit mauled to death by grandparents pit bull bitten on both legs when delivering mail; died a few days later (hypertension, cardiovascular disease and dog bites" mauled to death by neighbor's chained pit bull 2012 Mead, OK 92 YO male 2012 Santa Fe, NM 74 YO male 2012 Las Cruces, NM 15 MO female 2012 Township, OH 3 DO female 2012 Roxboro, NC 65 YO male 2012 Lemon Grove, CA 8 MO male brutally struck down by neighbors two pit bulls while working in his yard; he was chewed and drug around the yard; both feet, his face, his ears; his lips were gone; didn't even look like the same person mauled to death by one of his pet pit bulls while watering plants in his front yard brutally mauled to death by her father's pet pit bull in the backyard of her grandparent's home died hours after being bitten on the head by the family pit bull; died from blunt force injury to the head discovered dead under a carport where he was housesitting; body was found naked with his clothes "balled up" beside him, surrounded by bloody dog paw prints and severe dog bit injuries along his right arm killed by one of three pit bulls owned by his mother's roommate; dog bit the infant on the head inflicting fatal injuries; "the dog